


A Time of Tulips

by earthseaBorealis



Category: Homestuck
Genre: (It's a quick scene so you can skip over it), Alternate Universe - Dance, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Small Town, Cultural Festivals, Discrimination, Dutch Dance, F/F, Jade Week, Jade Week 2019, Tulip Time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:09:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21618142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earthseaBorealis/pseuds/earthseaBorealis
Summary: Jade Harley is in her senior year of high school, and while she can't wait to escape from her small and conservative hometown, she isn't ready to give up certain traditions quite yet.(Written for Jade Week 2019)
Relationships: Jade Harley/Rose Lalonde, Jake English & Jade Harley, John Egbert & Jade Harley, John Egbert & Jade Harley & Rose Lalonde & Dave Strider
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	A Time of Tulips

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a simple lesbian... I like flowers, dancing, and girls, so I combined all of that into a fic about a festival my small town does! I'm not really sure how many people know about Tulip Time, but I thought the AU would suit Jade. Shoutout to @kicammo for helping me with ideas... she helped me brainstorm some of my favorite parts! Anyways, Happy Jade Week! 
> 
> Author's Note: I'd recommend listening to Pink + White by Frank Ocean while reading... it gives off the perfect senior spring vibes :)

🎕⁕🎕

A single tear fell down Jade’s cheeks as she held a pair of cracked wooden shoes. They were covered in grass stains and dirt from use, which made Jade remember all of the good memories of participating in her town’s cultural festival. Tulip Time was a time of joy for the citizens of Skaia. Not only did it create a revenue boost, but it also brought people together to celebrate the history of the small town. In the fall, the city would plant Tulip bulbs around the down and wait until late spring, when they would sprout and cover the town in beautiful flowers. Local High Schools joined the festivities by marching in parades, dancing, and guiding tourists. Jade absolutely loved Tulip Time, as since she was born, she had participated in the festival with her grandfather and younger brother, Jake. 

It has her last year in her quaint hometown, as she would graduate in two weeks, and she wasn’t prepared to stop participating in the activities. She longed to plant bulbs once again with her grandfather, to watch the Tulips bloom, to dance in the pothole-covered streets. Yet college was rapidly approaching, and with her decision to study out-of-state, she wouldn’t be able to make it back for the week of festivities. 

Jade knew her grandfather would send her many (blurry) photos of blooming tulips and local vendors… but it just wouldn’t be the same. Tulip Time had quite literally shaped her childhood, and she wasn’t ready to give up on the memories… the tradition. However, there was still one part of Tulip Time left for her. The final piece. 

Every year, Jade decorated her old wooden shoes with her favorite parts of that year’s festival. She received her first pair when she was only one year old. Her grandfather had painted this pair for her. She didn’t remember that year, but the shoes were illustrated with a young Jade trying to eat a Tulip petal… that wasn’t one of her proudest moments!

Alas, this year was going to be different. There were so many wonderful memories for Jade to choose from, so she knew she needed to be innovative. Jade delicately placed the pair of cracked shoes onto her cluttered desk and pulled out a notebook and pen. 

🎕⁕🎕

“Hey pumpkin, are you in here?” Grandpa Harley asked as he lightly knocked on the door to Jade’s room. 

“Of course, c’mon in,” Jade chirped, taking her earbuds out and closing her laptop as he entered, “Is there anything you need, papa?”

“No, well, not exactly… it’s about an upcoming business trip. You know I hate them, but I just cannot miss them,” Jade’s grandfather began to explain, “So-”

Jade cut him off, “It’s no big deal papa! I know how to take care of Jake, and I’ll make sure he gets to school on time!” Grandpa Harley didn’t go on business trips very often. He tried his hardest to do his work from home, but it wasn’t a big deal when he would have to travel out of time. Most of the time, Jade would just invite her friends, John and Dave, to help the time pass… it was almost like a version of House, a game they played together as kids. Only now, it was for real. Together, they would cook meals, play with Jake, and take Bec on walks. It was simple, but the routine that helped Jade to take her mind off of her grandpa’s absence. 

“I know… but the scheduling this year was poorly planned. I have to leave May 1st,” Grandpa Harley said, “And I’ll be gone through the 10th.”

“But you never miss Tulip Time… and it’s my last year,” Jade muttered. It was a tradition for the pair to celebrate the week together. It had always been that way… why did it have to change now? 

“I’m sorry pumpkin. I sincerely tried to have the date moved, but well, you know how large corporations are,” her grandpa explained. His face twisted with worry, and Jade could see how sorry he was.

“No,” Jade shook her head, her wild curls slapping the sides of her face, “I know how these things are. It’s not your fault. I guess… I guess I just wish you could be here with Jake and me.” She shuffled into a more comfortable position on her bed, pulling her legs close to her chest.

“As do I,” Grandpa Harley replied, “I’ll try to call you every night, and when I get back, we’ll go to that small cafe downtown. You’ll have to tell me about everything… and make sure that Mr. Egbert takes plenty of videos and pictures for me, alright?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll send you bunches too” Jade assured him. 

Grandpa Harley made his way over to Jade and wrapped her in a hug, “Oh pumpkin… Sorry for dumping this on you, and in your senior year of all times…” 

Jade knew that Tulip Time wouldn’t be the same without her grandfather. After all, it had been a tradition to spend the week together for… how long now? Seventeen years? Regardless, it had been a long time, but Jade wasn’t about to let this ruin her last Tulip Time. She still had all of her friends (and yes, that included Dave). And Jake. And Mr. Egbert. It’d be okay, she’d make sure of it. 

🎕⁕🎕

Jade brushed her hair out of her face as she looked anywhere but at her partner, Rose Lalonde. Jade had a childish crush on her ever since 9th grade. And every year, fate decided to be against her. Jade and Rose were always Dutch Dance partners, no matter how many new students joined. Every spring, Jade would try to conceal her blush whenever Rose grasped her hand or initiated eye contact. 

Dutch Dance, in itself, was incredibly gay. As only two to three boys would sign up, most pairs consisted of girls (of course, the girls dressing and dancing the male part). Jade ended up dancing the boy part as she stood at 5’11 and was taller than most of the girls on the team. On the other side of the spectrum, Rose was only 5’0. Their height difference apparently made the ideal partners, so Miss Peixis, the dance coach, decided to pair them together. 

Don’t get Jade wrong, she wasn’t about to complain about being partners with her crush, but it was just so painstakingly awkward. They hung out plenty, but at least then they didn’t have to hold hands and dance together… Rose must’ve thought that Jade was insane by how often her face would turn red. 

Today, the two of them were sitting down in the corner of the cafeteria, aka where the team practiced. With amusement, they watched Dave’s yearly confrontation with Miss Peixis. 

“Yah, yah. Stereotypical bullshit. I’m just saying why can’t I dance the girl’s part if I want to? I just wanna dance with my main bro, John. And the girls get to dance the boy part, so,” Dave trailed off.

“David, every year I say the same thing over and over again… you simply cannot dance the female part.” Miss P, the instructor, explained, “We have a shortage of people willing to be the male. Besides, you already know the part, so please, just stick it out for one more year.”

Jade giggled off to the side as she listened to the pair debate. Dave truly did argue about this every year, claiming that it was for the “irony.” Next to her, Rose was stretching, her curly blonde hair dangling in front of her face (getting stuck in her black lipstick). 

Rose spoke up first, “Dave always finds a way to be quite vexatious, doesn’t he?”

Jade laughed at this, “I find it quite charming.” As she said this, Dave and John sat down next to the two girls.

“Dave, I can’t believe you do that every year!” John said, grabbing onto Dave’s shoulder as he burst out in fits of laughter, “Would you seriously dance the girl’s part if Miss P let you?”

“For fuck’s sake, of course, I would! You best bet that all the ladies, hell maybe even the gentlemen, will line up just to see a Strider in a traditional Dutch dress,” Dave continued, “I betcha that even Trump would call over his private jet just to see it. John… can’t you imagine how beautiful it would be? Forget Tulip Time, let’s just have a week to celebrate Striders.”

Rose smacked him, “Oh hush, won’t you? At most, you’ll attract the local police after an elderly lady reported your unpleasant… ‘dance moves.’ I cannot posit that Miss Peixis even allows you on this team.”

“Aw, you know you love me!” Dave exclaimed, reaching forward to pinch Rose’s cheeks like a ‘kickass old grandma.’

“Admit it, Rose!” John and Jade chimed in.

“Ugh, you disgust me,” Rose retorted, pushing Dave away, “I cannot believe that mother hasn’t kicked you out yet.” Dave had lived with Rose and her mother since Sophomore year. Dave said he had to move because of ‘The Great Depression,” whatever that meant. Apparently Rose and he were cousins and the closest relatives. It had just been that way since, and there was a mutual agreement to never bring it up. 

“I’ll just keep on coming back, like your foot fungus,” Dave grinned and childishly stuck his tongue out at Rose. 

John high fived him and shouted, “Sick burn, dude.” As he said this, Miss Peixis turned to glare at the group. This was a common occurrence, but John was, as usual, oblivious to her harsh stare.

“Whatever,” Rose groaned, rolling her eyes.

“Well, we should probably get going,” Jade broke the tension, “Miss Peixis is gonna set us all aflame if we don’t start rehearsing soon.” 

🎕⁕🎕

Jade wiped her hands on the kitchen towel and moved to sit down at the dining table. Her little brother, Jake, sat beside her. His 3rd-grade homework was spread out in front of him, and he had a look of frustration on his face.

“Do you need any help with that,” Jade asked her brother, taking a look at the homework. Math… multiplication… Jade understood his frustration. 

“Golly, yes,” Jake cried out, “I’ve been trying to work on these annoying problems for  _ hours _ , and for heaven’s sake! I just can't figure it out!” He ran his hands through his hair. Putting it lightly, Jade knew that her brother had a preference for history and English lessons, which was evident through his manners of speech. Jake absolutely hated mathematics, and Jade was sure that every household in the city knew that. He would throw fits for hours, rambling on about how he didn’t understand anything. Yet despite this, Jade always tried her best to help him out, even if it took hours. 

“Alright, let’s see what we have here… oh, multiplying the nines! There’s actually a little trick for this one, did your teacher show it to you?” Jade asked. Thankfully, it looked like tonight’s homework wasn’t too hard (if Jake licensed).

“Hm, I don’t think so,” Jake shook his head.

“Aw, that’s too bad. This helped me a lot, and between you and me, Dave still uses it all the time in our math class,” Jade exclaimed, trying to make the atmosphere as cheery as possible

Jake chuckled at this, “I suppose we can give try it then!”

“Great! Okay so hold your hands out, like this,” Jade showed him her outstretched hands, “So, we’ll try nine-times-one first. So you’re gonna put down your first finger, aka your left hand’s thumb, and then you just count the finger, which gives us nine.” Jake nodded, following her instructions, “And it continues like that, so, nine-times-two will give us eighteen because there’s one finger on the left and eight on the right… does that make sense?”

“I think so,” Jake paused to think for a moment, picking up his pencil, “So would that make nine-times-four thirty… thirty-six?”

“Bingo,” Jade cheered. 

“Thank you, Jade. You always know how to help!” Jake exclaimed as he filled in the rest of his homework, counting on his fingers to do the math. After he finished, he put his folder away and leaned forward on the table, “Heyo, are Dave, John, and Rose joining us this week since grandfather is away?”

“Of course! Though… we won’t be home very often since it’s Tulip Time and all,” Jade stopped and frowned, “Oh, you’ll have to stick around downtown with us until Miss Lalonde gets out of work. Sorry, I know it’s not a lot of fun.”

“Nonsense! I love watching the festival,” Jake rested his hand against his cheek, “Though, will Dirk be there too? And Roxy? And Jane too?”

Jade chuckled, “Probably, I’ll ask Mr. Egbert and Miss Lalonde to double-check.” 

Jade turned to glance at the clock, “Oop, looks like it’s time to get ready for bed now… why don’t you go pick out a story while I get your snack ready, okay?”

🎕⁕🎕

Jade always knew that she wasn’t of Dutch heritage, but that didn’t affect her willingness to participate in Tulip Time. Besides, there were tons of different nationalities that still had fun during the celebration. But that didn’t mean that tourists respected diversity. Jade had been teased plenty… kids would often come up to her and stretch their eyes, claiming that they were Chinese. It was ridiculous. She was Korean, and there were quite a few differences between the nationalities. Yet, that was in the past.

Jade remembers the pair of older tourists who asked the dancers for group pictures. Of course, they had accepted (it was a part of the festival after all). Yet, Jade could see the frustration on their faces. Jade didn’t know what compelled people to act in such a horrible way. The elderly man put the phone down and simply said, “Can we get a photo of the actual  _ dutch _ dancers please?”

“Excuse me?” Rose started before John cut her off.

“Sorry sir, we’re not super experienced or anything! We’re just part of the school’s Dutch Dance team. You can get a picture of the adults in their costumes over there if you’d like,” John explained, not yet understanding the implication of the man’s statement. 

“Oh no dear, that’s not the problem… it’s just… we came for Dutch festivities, and your team just doesn’t look like, oh you know, the actual past?” The man’s wife explained, her polite tone deeply contrasting with her harsh words.

“Well fuck me with a cracked wooden shoe… sorry that we’re, like, not Dutch enough for y’all. You do know it’s not the 1800s, right?” Dave muttered.

Jade grabbed onto his arm and pulled him away, “Come on guys, it’s not worth it. Let’s just get some overpriced lemonade and forget about it!” And with that, the group of friends was off. They wormed their way through the crowds of tourists, stopping frequently for pictures. 

As they walked, Rose pulled Jade off to the side. “I hope I’m not being a bother, but are you copacetic? Those tourists said some impertinent things…” Rose trailed off.

“Oh! Yes, of course, I’m fine… I try not to let those things get to me, ya know? Thanks for checking up on me though, hee hee,” Jade nervously laughed as Rose made eye contact with her. 

“Well, that’s certainly pleasing to say. Though I must admit, it was quite valorous of you to just walk away… I was about to use some frightful words, but thankfully, you were there to assist,” Rose explained, “You’re an enchanting individual, Jade Harley.”

“Right back at you, Rose Lalonde,” Jade was sure a bright red blush coated her cheek as she responded. She anxiously tapped her fingers against the front of her apron, “Now, shall we buy some overpriced fair food?”

🎕⁕🎕

Jade dreamed of asking Rose out on a date, but whenever she tried, she was met with a wave of nausea and an urge to run in the opposite direction. She knew that Rose liked girls, as she had bluntly admitted that she was a lesbian, and she proudly wore a lesbian flag pin of her blouse every day, but she was terrified that she wasn’t… well, Rose’s type. Plus, they were already good friends, and she didn’t want to ruin that. She didn’t want to make things awkward between her and Rose, her and Dave, or even Jake, Roxy, and Dirk. She had told herself countless times that she would work up the courage to do so, but she failed every time.

This time was going to be different, Jade knew it. The timing was absolutely perfect. Her garden was in full bloom, so she had picked her favorite Tulips, creating a bouquet of multicolored flowers. Jake held onto it for her during the dance, allowing for her to pull Rose aside and ask after the dance. 

She felt her body shake during the whole performance, but she wasn’t about to let that stop her. After the dance, she walked up to Rose. “Hey… hey Rose, could I talk to you for a minute?”

Jade led Rose to a more secluded spot, where tourists didn’t bump into them every second. Jade shakily held out the bouquet, “So… I know that, like, Tulip Time is kinda a capitalistic ploy to get tourists to visit our small town, but, well, it’s how I met you,” Jade paused for a moment, “Oop, yeah... I grew you some flowers. Sorry, I don’t if you’re allergic or not… but, I really like you, and I was wondering if you’d like to go on a date with me sometime?” Rose was quiet but reached out to delicately take the Tulips from Jade. There was silence between them, so Jade decided to break it, “You don’t have to respond right away. I understand that I kinda sprung this onto you.”

She turned to move away, but Rose grasped onto her hand and looked up, “No… it’s not that. Jade, I really cherish you. That would be lovely.”

Jade turned back around, “Really? I mean… I’m so happy. God Rose,” Jade was absolutely flabbergasted. She didn’t know what to say. She had dreamt of this for years, and it just didn’t feel real.

Rose face lit up with a pink blush, “Aw, Jade come here. I shall hold you in my arms.” Rose stood on her tippy-toes to wipe Jade’s teary cheeks. In an awkward, mechanical motion she wrapped her arms around the other girl. It slightly resembled that of a hug, but it was stiff, and clearly, both of the girls didn’t quite know how to deal with this surge of emotions. 

Thankfully, Jade took it upon herself to wrap the shorter girl in an embrace, “I don’t know if you’re busy, but would you like to maybe go on a… date? Tonight? At the fair? After our final dance for the day?”

“Absolutely!” Rose exclaimed, before restraining herself, “That sounds absolutely wonderful.”

“Great… that sounds great! I’ll see you then,” Jade said frantically, running her hand through her braids. “I’ll see you then… well, I’ll see you when we dance, but yah, you get what I mean, right?”

Rose chuckled, “Yes, of course. Au revoir, until tonight.”

🎕⁕🎕

The fair was a staple part of Tulip Time, especially for elementary and high schoolers. The fair itself was pretty small, but tourists and citizens brought it to life. Little kids would beg their parents to let them try and win stuffed animals, and high schoolers would take pictures and spend money on their significant other. As cliche as it was, Jade knew that it would be the perfect place for a first date, which is why she suggested that Rose and she go together. Dave and John volunteered to watch the kids for the pair, and with that, they were off. 

Jade blushed as she looked at Rose. The blonde wore a lilac blouse tucked into a pleated black skirt, paired with her typical makeup. It wasn’t very practical for a night at the carnival, but neither of the girls minded. “You… you look great,” Jade stuttered, standing at an awkward six(ish) inches away from Rose.

“As do you,” Rose said quietly, as she looked at the ticket booth.

Jade fiddled with the zipper of her windbreaker, “Sorry if I’m acting weird and stuff… I’m just, like, really nervous and god, you look really pretty… oop! Sorry that was weird, wasn’t it?”

“No! I mean, no, you’re fine,” Rose paused, “Wait, not that you look fine… no… you look wonderful… should we go in?”

“Yes! Of course,” the girls let an awkward silence overcome them as they waited in line for tickets. They argued a bit over who would pay for the tickets, but in the end, Rose ended up buying, granted that Jade would pay for the food. 

The two walked into the crowded fairgrounds, debating on where they should go first. Jade started, “So where do you want to go first.”

“Oh, you may choose,” Rose replied. The pair continued on like this until finally deciding that they should go to the tilt-of-whirl first and just go from there. 

After the first few rides, Jade finally gathered the courage to slip her hand into Rose’s. It was a bit awkward since Rose was so short and Jade was so tall; Rose’s hand was raised a bit and Jade had to stretch her hand down, but the pair made it work. Jade gulped, “Is… is this okay?”

Rose looked down, trying to conceal her blush, “Yes, of course.” Soon enough, the initial discomfort faded away and the pair fell into comfortable conversation. They talked about how they wished they hadn’t gone on a certain ride, then making the same mistake by going on another, thrilling, rollercoaster. The date started as a cliche, and Jade decided to keep it that way, so she suggested that they use their last tickets on the Ferris Wheel. The line was long, as many couples had the same idea, but the pair was willing to wait. Eventually, the two got a component to themselves and they were off. 

Rose grabbed onto Jade’s hands, smiling as she said, “Thank you for inviting me… I had an extravagant evening.”

“Oh, no problem. Thanks for coming… I was, like, really nervous, but I had a great time tonight,” Jade stuttered. She looked towards Rose, the lighting reflected off of Rose’s eyes and Jade had to look away in order to stop herself from turning red. 

“I apologize if I’m being too forward, but it’d be lovely to do… something… like this again?” Rose said, cringing as she turned her comment into a question. 

“Yes! That’d be nice,” Jade exclaimed. She paused and took a deep breath, “Hey, do you wanna go to the park after this? And just sit and look at the water? Oop, that’s not too boring, is it?”

“No, that sounds wonderful. Let’s plan on it,” Rose replied. 

After they got off of the ride, Jade pulled Rose forward, “Hey, race you to the park,” Jade exclaimed, before running off.

“Jade! Wait up… you!” The pair ran off, Jade keeping the lead due to her long legs. Eventually, Rose and Jade made it to their destination. They both collapsed onto a blue bench, panting heavily after their run. They looked out at the lake in front of them. The sunset filled the sky with vibrant pinks, oranges, and purples, causing the water to reflect the beautiful colors. Across the lake, the girls could see the hills of forest life. Thankfully, only a few tourists were out at this time, so the girls had the park to themselves. Jade could feel the small gap between the two on the bench. Slowly, she inched closer to the girl, eventually sealing the gap between them. Jade felt Rose squirm a bit closer, reaching forward to grasp Jade’s hand in her own.

“Hey,” Jade started, breaking the peaceful silence, “Thanks for the amazing day… I just, oop, it’s just been wonderful.” She kicked her legs back and forth, trying to concentrate her nervousness elsewhere. 

“Please, I should be the one extending thanks,” Rose replied. She laid her head on Jade’s shoulder, “It has been an honor to have you as my dancing partner.”

Jade sighed, “It’s our last season, though… wait, sorry! I don’t mean that I didn’t enjoy it… it’s the opposite,” she laughed nervously, “I’m just gonna miss this, all of this… but, at least we still have tomorrow’s dances.”

“It feels peculiar, doesn’t it? I never imagined that time would pass so expeditiously…” Rose thought out loud. 

Jade agreed, “Yes! It seems like just yesterday I was three years old… eating the Tulips, instead of admiring the hard work put into their beauty.”

“I understand. I’ve always detested living in such a quaint town, but now that I look back on the past, I think I’m going to miss this place,” Rose paused for a moment, “Well, excluding all the elders and conservatives, of course.”

Jade laughed, “I’m definitely not going to miss any of that!” Both the girls knew that traditions were valued in such a small town. They were lucky that there was still some room for diversity, like the local Pride festival and the different community centers spread around town. “But enough of that sad talk,” Jade abruptly shouted, “Are you ready for graduation… and our final exams?”

“Yes… Though, I’m positive my mother will embarrass me during graduation. I wouldn’t be bewildered if she bawled through the entire ceremony,” Rose sighed. 

“The same goes for my grandfather! He’s going to take hundreds of pictures,” Jade laughed. She appreciated the sentiments, but she would grow cranky if she stayed up until one a.m. with her grandfather, looking through blurry pictures of the day. 

“Haha, of course… but you absolutely cannot forget about all of the hugs… I’ll be less than an inch away from my mother all day… really, until I venture off to college. She’s going to be a disaster,” Rose explained, cringing as she looked to the future. 

“It’s going to be worse when Jake graduates… papa won’t be able to hold it together. Though I can’t blame him. I’m gonna embarrass the crap out of him,” Jade replied. 

“Oh dear… I didn’t even think of that. Poor Roxy… she has a terrible fate,” Rose muttered. 

“Parents, am I right,” Jade groaned playfully.

“You are  _ so  _ right,” Rose agreed.

Jade stood up abruptly. She pulled Rose up with her, stumbling a bit, then grasping both of Rose’s hands in her own. She giggled childishly, “At least we can have a bit of fun before our parents berate us with worry… May I have this dance milady?”

Rose smiled, “Oh how your words move me… but I believe you already know my response.” 

The two bowed and began to dance, “One, two, three… inside… one, two, three… outside… step kick, step kick, step kick, step kick,” they said at the same time, remembering their countless practices. It was messy, and of course, they would never dance like this in front of the tourists, but it was just them and the seagulls (hoping for some handouts). They giggled with every move, “Step, brush, hop!”

🎕⁕🎕

Jade felt the wind pull at her pinned-back curls, filling her with anticipation. Her last dance was in less than an hour, and she wasn’t ready. She sat on the edge of the sidewalk, tracing patterns in the concrete with her pinky finger. 

She heard footsteps behind her. Looking to the left, she saw John sitting down next to her. “Hey Jade, you okay,” he asked, taking his traditional hat off so he could make eye contact with her.

“Oop yeah, of course… just a bit nervous about this last dance,” Jade replied. She sniffled before throwing herself at John and hugging him. 

Jade could feel John wrap his arms around her, tracing circles onto her back. “Oh, Jade…” was all that he could manage to say. He knew that Jade cared deeply about traditions, and he couldn’t imagine what it would be like to not have a parental figure there… especially for her last dance… There was nothing he could say to make Jade feel any better, so he sat there. Tourists bustled around them, some giving the pair weird looks, others just walking past. One woman asked if they were okay, calling it a ‘lover’s quarrel,’ whatever that meant. 

Jade pulled away, “I’m really sorry about all this, John. I… I didn’t mean for this day to turn so sour.”

“Nah, it’s chill Jade,” John said. 

Jade laughed as she took off her glasses and wiped her eyes, “Dave’s rubbing off on you… you’re starting to use his language.”

John shoved her playfully, “Oh puh-lease, what do you mean I ain’t the hippest, coolest kid in town? I’m  _ way _ cooler than Dave… lemme just go get my shades.”

“John no! Don’t go to the dark side,” Jade said, rolling her eyes. 

“I’m sorry Jade, but I must… it’s who I really am,” John joked. 

“Please, don’t,” Jade cried. She put her glasses back on and smiled, “Thanks, John. You always know how to cheer me up.”

“It’s what I do,” John replied, “We should pro’lly get going now. I don’t want Miss P to yell at me for being late… again.” 

🎕⁕🎕

“Are you ready for this,” Rose murmured, still looking out to the crowd in front of her. Despite Miss P’s constant nagging, Rose’s lips were painted with her favorite black lipstick and she wore a heavy amount of eyeliner and purple eyeshadow. 

“No, not really,” Jade whispered, her voice airy and full of worry.

“I do admit, I’m quite intimidated as well,” Rose replied, “Though, I believe everyone is, even Dave. He tried to convince me otherwise, but I have my suspicions.”

“Attention ladies and gentlemen-” the speaker interrupted. The voices of the dancers and tourists hushed almost immediately. It was time to begin, whether she was ready or not. Jade took a deep breath as she linked arms with Rose. Her breaths her shaky and she felt a wave of nervousness pass through her body, yet despite all of her worries, there was a large smile on her face. She wasn’t about to let her anxiety ruin an important moment like this, the final dance of her high school career. “And with that, please welcome the Skaia City Dutch Dancers!”

Clapping filled the air as the traditional Dutch music rolled over the old, crackling speakers. Jade looked over to Dave, Rose, and John one last time and smiled as if to say “Let’s do this!”

The dance began. Jade recalled all of the movements in her head… step, brush, hop until they formed a circle with the other dancing pairs… shuffle, stop, link hands. As the dance continued, she looked out to the audience. Jake, Jane, Roxy, and Dirk we’re all sitting next to one another, watching the dancers with extreme concentration and cheering their siblings on. Jade grinned and went back to concentrating on the dance.

As the pairs separated once again, Rose shyly made eye contact with Jade, smiling softly as they skipped into position together. The group recombined and cheered one another along as they switched partners. Dave grinned as Rose became his partner. It was great to see the two siblings together. Despite all of their bickering, anyone could tell that they had so much fun together (even if Jade could see Rose purposefully step on Dave’s shoes multiple times). After about a minute, the dancers returned to their original pairings and finished the first dance, bowing to their partners.

The next audio started a few seconds later, and the dancers were off once again. The dancers formed a circle and joined hands, slowly shuffling along. The second dance was slower and showed off each part. The girls would twirl in the center, while the males would circle around them. Eventually, the males took the center and joined hands, twirling as the girls watched them from the outside. After this, the dancers returned to their partners and began a more common dance, where they would perform something similar to a waltz. Jade laughed as she twirled Rose, and Rose grinned up at her. The second dance ended and Jade looked out to the audience. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked towards Jake once again. There, behind him, was her grandfather. He noticed Jade’s eyes and smiled at her, blowing her a kiss as she turned away. Jade sniffled, trying to stop any possible tears (of joy). Rose noticed this and rubbed Jade’s back comfortingly as they parted to form their own separate lines on the edges of the street. 

The last dance was Jade’s favorite, as it gave the dancers an opportunity to scare the tourists. They would high kick right at the audience. Some adults would flinch back, thinking they might get hit, while children would simply giggle. The dancers soon turned back and kicked all the way back to their partners. Jade felt her legs grow sore, but she simply continued with the same momentum as the previous two dances. The groups circled up once again and waltzed together. This was the final move, where the seniors would try to break their shoes as they brought their legs down from a high kick. Jade looked at Rose and braced herself; this was going to be their most powerful kicks. Jade squeezed her eyes shut, gripped Rose’s hand tightly, and swung her leg down quickly. 

A loud crack filled the air. Tourists jumped at the noise, but the dancers laughed and grinned. Jade looked down, and there were her wooden shoes, cracked beyond repair… she’d come back for them later, after the dance, but for now, she would finish the dance with the layers of socks on her feet. 

After this, the dancers branched off into a straight line and posed next to their partners. However, this wasn’t the end of the dance… and Jade’s favorite part was coming up. The highschool dancers called out to the audience, inviting any kid to come and join them. Of course, the four kids immediately ran over. Dirk and Jake weaseled their way between Rose and Jade, grinning up at their relatives. The kids had already done this before, so as the music began once again, they followed in a messy step, brush, and hope pattern down the street.

It was quick, but Jade still loved dancing with the excited children of locals and tourists alike. The dancers bowed with the kids as the music stopped, and Jade turned towards Rose. They ran towards one another and hugged. Jade was crying, tears of both joy and sadness, as Rose reached up to brush her tears. 

“Th… thank you so much for dancing with me, Rosie,” Jade said through her sobs, “I’m gonna miss being your partner…”

“Me too, Jade. It’s been a delight to dance with you… who knows, perhaps we’ll be able to dance with the kiddos once they grow older,” Rose replied. She may not have been crying, but Jade heard her voice croak as she sniffled. 

The pair separated as Jade heard a familiar voice call out, “Oh pumpkin, you guys did wonderfully!” Although her sight was blurry from her tears, she recognized her grandfather’s voice. Rose respectfully moved towards her own mother’s to deal with her blubbering.

“Papa, how’d you make it here,” She asked, “I thought… I thought you weren’t comin’ back for another day.”

“I wouldn’t miss your last dance even if it was the end of the world,” he replied, wiping her tears away, “I talked to my boss. He agreed that this was a special occasion and he let me off a day early. Granted, I’ll have to voice chat with him early tomorrow morning, but it’s worth it… you guys did great!”

Miss Lalonde interrupted the two, “Hey… Would y’all mind posing for a quick picture? I don’t want to miss this moment, and y’all just look so cute right now! You know, back when I was a little lady…” she trailed off. 

“Mother, just take a photograph already… you’re embarrassing us,” Rose groaned. Jade wiped her face as made her way over to her three friends. They posed in a messy hug (despite Dave’s complaints) as the adults snapped hundreds of pictures.

Jade was sure that she looked horrible after crying, but she couldn’t find it in herself to even care. Rose was right… just because she was done dancing, doesn’t mean that the tradition was over. Besides, her Tulip Time Traditions weren’t over quite yet. 

🎕⁕🎕

Jade wiped her eyes and yawned as she pushed her chair back, in order to admire her work. By no means was she a perfect artist, but she didn’t need to be amazing to get her point across. Jade didn’t just want to illustrate the perfect parts of Tulip Time; instead, each broken piece of wood told a story, the good and the bad. A little reminder of how much she had grown throughout this year’s festival. 

Jade gathered the broken pieces and placed them on the top shelf, right alongside her other pairs of Dutch shoes. Her high school career was over, but her future wasn’t. She knew for sure that she and Rose would come back, maybe be those sappy lovebirds who would take cliche pictures next to beds of tulips and windmills. They’d embarrass their siblings, like their parents who publicly embarrassed them. She could still miss school to watch her siblings dance and reminiscence during the parades, watching the hot and tired high school bands perform. For once, Jade didn’t think about the end of her high school dancing career; instead, she looked towards the future and wondered what the tulips would have in store for her when she returned from college.

🎕⁕🎕

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope that you enjoyed reading about my town's traditions. If you're interested in watching an actual dance performance, I'd recommend checking out this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwHvXvzn_dg I'm hoping to do a continuation of this fic for Dave week! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments below or at my Tumblr @culturalbloominggirl.
> 
> Here are the kid's Dutch costumes!
> 
> Jade (Staphorst): https://harmony.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Ftuliptime.harmonycms.com%2Fassets%2F40910008.jpg?s=4250d3778ab7753e7e267cd21e695226   
> Rose (Friesland): https://harmony.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Ftuliptime.harmonycms.com%2Fassets%2FFriesland-2.jpg?s=c457b810e4ad295203496a18580d78d9   
> John (Urk): https://harmony.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Ftuliptime.harmonycms.com%2Fassets%2F40910034.jpg?s=9d68efae271b38f2739b94a65c717b9f   
> Dave (Achterhoek): https://harmony.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Ftuliptime.harmonycms.com%2Fassets%2F40910007.jpg?s=831edbb100b3a34aea587090f037dc11


End file.
